Deutschland a fine land!

After having my plans for Switzerland hampered significantly by a debilitating sinus infection, I was hoping I would feel fresh and ready to enjoy Germany. Yesterday, I woke up in Switzerland at 6 am. I had hoped to visit Bern, the Swiss capital, for a few hours before moving on to Freiburg im Breisgau. But my nose told me to do otherwise. Thanks to the flexibility of traveling with a Eurail pass, I was able to sleep until 10 am before boarding an 11:20 train to Germany. Surely I owe my ability to breath out of my nose to that night of 9 hours of sleep!

Freiburg is the perfect city to start a six day stay in southern Germany. Though it's not the major tourist attraction like a Berlin or Munich, it offers a considerable amount of excitement thanks to its collegiate feel and historical significance. As soon as I arrived, I experienced the city's efficient metro system- a perfect example of German engineering and green living. Everywhere you look in this city, everything is running efficiently- from the daily organic food market in the munsterplatz to the German automobiles that automatically stop emitting pollutants while halted at a red light. I'm staying with my friend Zach- a fellow Wisconsin trombone player and member of Rank 9 (>8). Also here is Heather, another trombone player. Needless to say, the band jokes have been plentiful this weekend.

Last night I began by walking around the city, taking in the colorful buildings, the enormous Gothic cathedral miraculously spared from the WWII bombing raids, the medieval clock towers, and cobble stone lined streets (free of car traffic in the city center). After a brief tour, we headed to a traditional German restaurant, not too different from a Great Dane or Fox River Brewing Company. After sampling their delicious pilsner and eating a plate of bratwurst and sauerkraut, we returned to the apartment and hung out with a group of boisterous yet amusing German college students (first country I've visited where I can't speak the language).

Today, we woke up to a heavy rain downpour. Little match for my New Balance gortex boots and North Face jacket! We decided to climb the Schlossberg, a hill in the Black Forest just on the outside of the city. The trails lead to a giant watch tower, oddly shaped like an hourglass. After a steep hour of climbing, we arrived at the tower in heavy wind. By the time we reached the top of the aluminum structure, it was clearly fluttering with the breeze, providing either a relaxing or a frightful addition to the panoramic view of the city below.

After the hike, we headed back to the munsterplatz to enjoy the farmer's market. I ate a bratwurst mit krauten, served with grilled onions. After the very German lunch, we explored the city's cathedral. In side of the cathedral, amidst the German Renaissance paintings, wood carvings, and stained glassed windows, was a photo of the city of Freiburg at the end of World War II. The entire city is rubble. One can hardly discern where the houses stood, where the markets operated, where life in the city was even remotely possible. The only building that remained standing after the bombings was the Munster. Seen by many in Freiburg as a sign from God that the bombings would soon to come to an end, the resilience of the Cathedral is still an inspiration to many of the city's residents.

With rain coming down, we've been hanging out all afternoon, planning for tomorrow- 10 am train to Munich for Fruhlingfest, in a land where Leiderhosen, freshly baked pretzels, frothy beer mugs, and oom pah polka bands will be everywhere the eye can see!